The present invention concerns a fastener arrangement made of a component and a screw element with an area for the application of force for a turning tool, where the component and the screw element, when fastened to each other, are in contact with each other by way of contact surfaces, and where the contact surface of the screw element on the side facing the component, has a convexly curved outer surface, and where the contact surface of the component has a concavely curved inner surface, while the outer surface and the inner surface are positioned coaxially with respect to a common longitudinal axis, which runs through the component and the screw element.
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2. A screw element and component comprising:
a force application area of the screw element for a turning tool; and
a contact surface of the screw element which points in the direction in which the screw element is screwed in, and which contact surface is configured as a convexly curved outer surface for making contact with a concavely curved inner surface of the component, where the outer surface of the screw element and the inner surface of the component are coaxial with respect to a common longitudinal axis that extends through the component and the screw element, wherein the contact surface when viewed in axial cross section of the screw element defines circular sections having centers of curvatures in such a manner that the convexly curved outer surface and the concavely curved inner surface of the component are in contact with each other between ends of the circular sections when they are fastened to each other, wherein the circular sections of the convexly curved outer surface have a common center of curvature and wherein the circular sections defined by the concavely curved inner surface have centers of curvature spaced apart from the common center of curvature, where the radius belonging to the centers of curvature of the circular sections of the convexly curved outer surface is shorter than the radii of the center of curvature of the concavely curved inner surface.
1. A screw element for engagement with a component having a concavely curved inner surface defining a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and also defining a radius of a single center of a curvature comprising:
a force application area for a turning tool; and
a contact surface which points in the direction in which the screw element is screwed in, and which contact surface is configured as a convexly curved outer surface configured for making contact with the concavely curved inner surface of the component, where the convexly curved outer surface of the screw element and the concavely curved inner surface of the component are coaxial with respect to the longitudinal axis which extends through the component and the screw element, wherein the contact surface defines when viewed in axial cross section of the screw element circular sections having centers of curvatures which are spaced from the longitudinal axis such that the convexly curved outer surface of the screw element and the concavely curved inner surface of the component are configured so as when fastened to each other they are in contact with each other between ends of the circular sections, the circular sections of the convexly curved outer surface define centers of curvature that are spaced apart from each other in a direction extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and where the radius belonging to the center of curvature of the concavely curved inner surface is longer than the radii of the centers of curvature circular sections of the convexly curved outer surface.
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This application is a continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/332,477, filed Jun. 2, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,317.
The present invention generally relates to connecting elements used, for example, for the attachment of automobile wheels or rims to a motor vehicle by means of wheel bolts. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for implementing fastener arrangements or screw elements to avoid deformation and damage of the outer and inner surfaces of such connecting elements.
In the case of known fasteners, it is a disadvantage that the outer surface of the screw element and/or the inner surface of the component are frequently deformed and damaged when the screw element is repeatedly screwed in, because the contact of the outer surface of the screw element, depending on the dimensioning of the screw element and the component, occurs either in the region of the front or rear edge, when viewed in the direction in which the screw element is screwed in, of the concavely curved inner surface of the component.
Such deformations cause significant problems during assembly when a defined torque is selected. In addition, with the prevailing final tolerance stack-ups extremely variable load configurations result, namely so-called outer load supports and inner load supports, and thus strongly varying frictional moments result when the head makes contact.
The solutions embodying the principles of the present invention are based on the recognition that the unfavorable forced contact conditions in the region of the front or rear edge, in the direction in which the screw is screwed in, of the concavely curved inner surface of the component, result from the fact that the centers of curvature of the curvature of the outer surface and the curvature of the inner surface are not spaced apart from each other in a direction vertical to the longitudinal axis.
As a result, the contact between the outer surface and the inner surface occurs, when viewed in the direction in which the screw is screwed in, either at a front or a rear edge region of the inner surface. Because of these unfavorable force conditions, deformation and damage of the outer and inner surfaces can occur, which result in an adverse effect on the fastening ability, for example, in the case of a defined torque.
It is desirable to create a fastener arrangement or a screw element of the same kind where the contact surfaces are deformed or damaged as little as possible even if they are loosened or fastened a number of times, and where, in addition, the extreme outer and inner load supports are to be avoided.
A method of connecting elements embodying the principles of this invention is by creating a fastener arrangement, where the contact surfaces in an axial section of the fastener device are defined by arcuate sections curved in such a way, that the center(s) of curvature of the convexly curved outer surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is (are) located at such a distance from the center(s) of curvature of the concavely curved inner surface, that the contact surfaces, when they are fastened to each other, are located between the ends of their arc sections.
Furthermore, the above objective is achieved by a screw element according to the principles of this invention, where the contact surfaces are defined, in an axial section of the screw element, by curved arc sections, the centers of curvature of which are located at such a distance from the longitudinal axis that the convexly curved outer surface and the concavely curved inner surface of the component, when they are fastened to each other, are in contact with each other between the ends of their arcuate sections.
The present invention concerns a fastener arrangement consisting of a component and a screw element with an area for the application of force for a turning tool, where the component and the screw element, when fastened to each other, are in contact with each other by way of contact surfaces, and where the contact surface of the screw element on the side facing the component, has a convexly curved outer surface, and where the contact surface of the component has a concavely curved inner surface, while the outer surface and the inner surface are positioned coaxially with respect to a common longitudinal axis, which runs through the component and the screw element.
The invention concerns also a screw element with an area for the application of force for a turning tool and a contact surface shaped as a convexly curved outer surface for contact with a concavely curved inner surface of a component, which contact surface points in the direction in which the screw element is screwed in, where the outer surface of the screw element and the inner surface of the component are positioned coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis running through the component and the screw element.
The figures, and the following description, will more clearly demonstrate the various advantages of the present invention.
In the different figures of the drawings equal parts are always shown with the same reference numerals.
In the case of a fastener arrangement in accordance with the principles of this invention, by means of creating a separation between the centers of curvature in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a contact in the central region of the outer and inner surfaces in the direction of screw engagement is produced; however, the edge regions, which are relatively vulnerable to deformation, experience no load or a relatively low load.
The fastener arrangement or the screw element, therefore, permits a fastening operation, even for multiple use, with a defined torque. In accordance with the principles of this invention, the overall load is reduced to such an extent that the diameter, which determines the friction moment, experiences only minor dimensional changes, so that ultimately only small changes in the desired tensioning forces occur.
In the embodiment shown in
In
The invention is not limited to the examples of the embodiment shown and described, but also includes all embodiments acting in an equivalent manner within the spirit of the invention; for example, a nut, which is threaded onto threaded shaft 6, can also serve as a screw element, which is located in a concavely curved inner surface 16. Also, a combination of the embodiments shown in
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